The Clifton clarion., 1887-08-31
Copper.

ular. It has always been both valuable and beautiful metal, it's brilliant and characteristic red color being considered handsome and artistic. Ten years ago it's cost was double the present price. The present cost of ten cents a pound, which now appears to be quite stationary, has led to host of new uses and heavily increas- ed consumption of this metal. During 1886 there was an enor- nous increase in consumption of copper, amounting to nearly twenty-five per cent. which ab- sorbed about 119,000,000 pounds. This metal was known and used by the Romans, whence it's name, Caprum. They also knew the metal tin, and also the alloy of copper and tin, called bronze. This knowledge by the Romans spread over ancient France, Ger many and England, and even ad1 mlrable works in copper, executed in Ireland about the eleventh cen tury, are still preserved. For ecclesiastical purposes very beau tiful things in bronze were made in Western Europe, for centuries.
 The copper of these Romans was obtained chiefly from the island of Cyprus, but the mines of Spain, Anglesea and Cornwall were known. We have abundant proof that the Romans worked copper mines in England and Wales, as their tools and stamped cakes of copper are still found there. Cop per does not easily melt-only at about 2000 degrees Fahrenheit but it is easily rolled into sheets, taking brilliant polish, and easily drawn into wire even to the finest threadlike forms. And it conducts electricity next to silver; i. e. placing the conductivity of silver at 100, then copper is about 96.
 Iron rusts and the rust is like the decay of wood, it spreads; cop per rusts, but its brown red trust" quickly protects the interior This property goes into bronze and per mits the many antique bronzes to remain intact. The beauty of these copper oxidations was recently noticed on the lower part of the State House dome, where the gild- ing was worn off by the wind and weather.
 A generation ago copper was considered almost a luxury, but now copper utensils of every form are coming into use; copper house. roof conductors instead of wooden, go into all very valuable, build ings; copper water pipes are used instead of iron, even copper book covers Covered with leather) are made in England, and copper plated and turned" articles of every form, to meet any desire, are seen.
 In 1850 this country was scarcely a producer of copper; now Am erica leads. The greatest pro- ducers are two copper mining the Calumet x Hecla, at Keweenaw Point, Michigan, and the Anaconda, at Butte, Montana. The latter was undeveloped eight years ago, but produced as much copper in 1885 as the former did in 1883. In both mining districts are several smaller mines produc- ng together about half as much IS these large mines.
 Copper thus affords another evil Hence of the vast resources of our country, which now produces an- lually about one-third of the gold md one-half of the silver of the world. And the mineral resources ,f this country have been only de- -eloped during about forty ears. * 'f *
 The policy of the copper mining ompanies, in presuming that the test way to keep up old-time diyi- lends is to double the production f their mines, has placed copper t price which does not appear 0 have injured these companies; nd it gives copper chance to be- ome popular, and also to copper a chance to make honey as the tide in favor of cors-